Chris's Writings

                         Prayer and Society

            Majority of religions have a common factor in that they conduct a similar act of prayer. This is a mixture of belief and ritual. Prayer represents an individual’s attempt to communicate with the supernatural. Joseph O. Baker uses the Baylor Religion Survey to provide information about sociological patterns of prayer frequency and content in his academic journal, “An investigation of the Sociological Patterns of Pray Frequency and Content”, to determine how communication with the supernatural manifests itself by influencing the reason people pray and needs prayer addresses in American society.

The survey was conducted through a random sample, although the survey happens to be majority Christian. This means statically the information reveals more on Christians in American Society, but will still relate to all religions in American Society on some level. The survey revealed that three out of four people state that they pray daily. In those three, 95 percent believe that they were answered. These individuals stated the topic of prayer was on the subject of health and well being. Prayer is often used as a stress deterrent or a coping mechanism for problems in ones environment or internal affairs.

            The survey did reveal a key component to showing the connection with prayer and society. It was seen that members of traditionally underprivileged or marginalized groups, such as women, African Americans, and older Americans are more likely to pray. The importance of this information is that it shows a connection between suffering and praying. Baker states in his conclusion of this information “ Individuals from social groups that experience more suffering and deprivation may turn to prayer as a coping mechanism. (170). This shows that gender, race, and social class all have some level of correlation to the content and frequency of prayer. If American society is going through economical and/or social problems one can assume that the frequency of individuals prayer will increase. We can assume this because people will turn to God to help to maintain a feeling of control in difficult situations to cope with environmental and internal demands that the American Society cannot meet.

            We have already established a connection between America’s prayer frequency and the well being of society. Through the Baylor Religion Survey we have also determined that prayer is being used as a coping mechanism. For today’s post we will continue analyzing Joseph O. Baker’s sample survey on American society to look deeper into this coping mechanism theory, as we focus on individuals financial status. If you haven’t read my first post on the topic, navigate through the blog until you have found the post titled “Prayer and Society”.

            Money isn’t the key to happiness; this maybe the saying of the middle class but the data begs to differ. Baker states with his findings, “A downward trend in mean for the frequency of prayer as income and education levels increase” (175). This gives us an incredible amount of information on the power of the dollar bill and its influences on the well-being of the ones who use it. If we have determined that prayer is used as a coping mechanism and that people of all income levels pray regularly and those with less income tend to pray more frequently, then we have discover the key to a societies happiness.

            The conclusion to the Baylor Religion Survey generated a statistical individual who would pray the most. Female, African-American parents are seen as the most frequently praying people in the United States. If we were to break down how each of these attributes is seen sociologically this conclusion would make complete sense. The institutions of society have suppressed women through out time, especially in American culture. Although efforts have been made to balance these inequalities through the women’s rights movement. Women still have less job opportunities and averagely played less. Our next attribute is the race of our prayer. Through out American history African-Americans have oppressed in the job market until recent years. Even after attempts of the equal rights movement the dominant race is white in the job market. Lastly our prayer is a parent. This is something that any race, gender or social class can relate to. Children play a heavy toll on families financially. Children aren’t expected to start generating significant income until the age 19 or after higher education. This means parents are supporting their children financially for an extended amount of time. After viewing the date from this survey one could predict that the frequency of prayer would increase as more children are introduced to a family.

            The point to this analysis is that the well-being of a society will affect the participation of religious rituals. In modern society income is a major factor in determination the level of happiness. So we can say that an individual’s income will determine their participation in religious rituals of prayer. If people can’t generate enough income to live a happy and fulfilling life they will turn to God in hopes of a supernatural force to meet their needs.

Religion and Society

A connection with the supernatural and the development of religion has been with humans since the dawn of time. Laws and lifestyles have been established due to the influences of religion. Motivation to succeed and do well is from the teaching of religion. Today we will look into the influences religion has played on society and how we have grown form that influence.

            Religion regulates behavior. Laws we have lived by, were established from the basis of religious teachings. In the Christian religion, God establish his ten commandments for the people of earth to live by. These teaching have shown us, among others, to not kill or steal. These words were kept to heart so that individuals can be seen in good light in the eyes of God. Although through time and the break between church and state the motivation has changed of why we shouldn’t commit these act. Instead of fearing God’s judgment we fear imprisonment, although never the less the root of this law was established due to religious influence.

            Religion gives society something to believe in. This gives a psychological super natural motivation to succeed and be good. The belief that some form of higher power has reasoning for life, give individuals motivation to continue living and trying. The desire to work hard and to make the world a better place is rooted from the influence of religion. That some form of God shows that every action has a bigger meaning and purpose behind it.